


Hanukkah Instead

by Absolute_Trash37



Series: STFU ABOUT CHRISTMAS. IT'S OCTOBER [3]
Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Angst, Character Death, F/F, F/M, I Don't Even Know, ooc? I'm not really sure, people other than Bruce cry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-08-10 02:52:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16461989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Absolute_Trash37/pseuds/Absolute_Trash37
Summary: On a dark December night, another battle with Jeremiah leaves our favourite badasses grappling with a horrible tragedy.Or in other words, I kill off another beloved character horribly because people should not talk about Christmas before November 1st.





	Hanukkah Instead

Jeremiah. Tabitha had tried to kill him before, tried every chance she had. He lived, every time, he lived. 

This time Tabitha, Barbara and Selina were all there, and even though Jeremiah had a group of escaped convicts on his side, it meant nothing, because they didn't have enough of a thought capacity to be tactical, and they were nowhere near Tabitha's skill level, let alone the three of them as a group.

“Jeremiah is mine,” Tabitha growled out as she brought out her whip. 

“I'm the one he shot,” Selina argued. Tabitha patted the girl's hair condescendingly.

“You're not sadistic enough yet, Cat.” Barbara pulled out her two pistols as Selina grabbed her knife. 

“May we begin?” Jeremiah raised his arms in curiosity. “I'm quite bored, and I really want to see lady intestines sprawled out on the concrete.” Jeremiah turned off the safety and aimed his weapon. 

No one even flinched when the first shot rang out, it was from Barbara. She shot the gun right out of Jeremiah's hand. 

“Oh... this just got exciting.” Jeremiah let out a sadistic laugh. “KILL THEM!” He shouted darkly before he chuckled a little more. 

The fight went well, far too well. Tabitha had taken out two of Jeremiah's goons within seconds, and the others were dealt with fairly easily by Barbara and Selina while Tabitha moved in on Jeremiah. One of the only complications was that Jeremiah grabbed Tabitha's whip and yanked her forward, which simply lead her to more close combat alternatives. He must have realized he was fighting a losing battle, because, after a particularly harsh hit to Tabitha he ran backwards, much to the dismay of Tabitha, Barbara and Selina, The young thief took a fighting stance as Barbara took a few strides forward, guns ready. Tabitha was still closest to Jeremiah, but she was back in range to use her whip. 

Barbara fired at Jeremiah, just as a rope fell from the rooftops. The bullet missed when he jumped to the side, he took the opportunity to grab onto the rope.

“Oops!” Jeremiah yelled out before he gave a sadistic laugh. “You missed! I wouldn't miss again if I were you. I'll be seein' ya, that is... if you survive.” Jeremiah wrapped his hand around the rope before he pulled out a basic throwing knife and tossed it in their direction. Neither woman had to move for the blade to miss. Jeremiah shrugged before he gave the rope a tug and he was propelled up to the tops of the buildings. 

“NO!” Barbara let off a few other shots, all of which caused sparks as they made contact with brick or metal. 

Tabitha paced briefly before she burst out and punched the alley wall. Barbara was running her hands through her hair in disbelief when she looked down the alley and saw an army of people coming their way. Angrily. Crazily.

“Oh, you've gotta be kidding me,” Barbara cursed as she reloaded her guns and Tabitha quickly lashed her whip on the ground. They were ready.

“Barbara, Tabs...” Selina's voice was shaky and weak, it was more than enough to get the two women to turn their attention from the remaining fight to the young girl. Blood dripped from the young criminal's mouth.

“No...” Tabitha's eyes followed Selina's own as they looked down to the slash that cut deep into her midsection, cut through leather and cloth, skin and muscle. 

“Go help her! GO!” Barbara ordered desperately as she turned back to the remaining psychos that ran towards them. She continued to shoot wisely, but her aim was far faster now because she knew she needed to help Selina. 

“Selina!” Tabitha sprinted as fast as she could, while the young woman took a couple weak steps to close the distance, Selina fell forward, into Tabitha's arms, and the criminal suddenly felt tears brim her eyes. “On your back, on your back!” Tabitha yelled desperately as she frantically moved Selina's position. The older woman eased the two of them to the ground, to slow the bleeding.

“Why me? I don't wanna die.” Selina whimpered out, pain evident. “I don't wanna die...” 

“You're not going to die, Selina, you're not.” Tabitha ripped open her shirt and pressed to the wound, desperately hoping to buy the girl some time. Tabitha had grown to care far too much for the little thief, and did not, no, could not lose her now.

“Tell Bruce... tell Bruce that I'm sorry, tell him I'm sorry.” Tabitha took a shaky breath at Selina's plea.

“It hurts... it hurts so much.” Tabitha clenched her jaw as she applied more pressure.

“I know, I know... but you'll be okay, I promise.” Tabitha used one hand to stroke Selina's curly hair, while the other pressed blood-soaked cloth on the wound. Selina's eyes began to move frantically.

“I-I can't see you, I can't see you, Mom, I can't see you.” For a second, Tabitha thought that Selina had called out for her deadbeat mother, but she soon realized that the cry was for her, that Selina had called her Mom. That one realization warmed her cold heart even more than Butch and Barbara had.

“Just-just close your eyes... just close your eyes,” Tabitha told as tears began to fall from water brimmed eyes. Part of her was ashamed of the fallen tears, but at the moment she couldn't care 

“I didn't think this was... how I... was going to die.”

“You're not gonna die, we have that Christmas heist planned out remember? You gotta come with me on vacation or something.”

“Christmas...” Selina whispered sleepily. “I-I always preferred Hanukkah. They let you inside, open their homes up to total strangers. All because of... a-a stupid.. a stupid candle... in their... win-dow...” Selina's voice got weaker alongside the rise and fall of her chest.

“I didn't take you for the sentimental type.” Tabitha teased. “Well maybe we'll celebrate Hannukkah next year instead, how'd you like that, kid?” Tabitha paused in hopes for an answer. “Selina?” Tabitha's voice was firm, all the strength she had left put into it.

“Please...” Tabitha's voice wavered as denial could only fade. “Selina.” Tabitha pulled the girl closer so her chin was resting on her shoulder as Selina's head fell back on hers. 

She rocked forward and back, numb and expressionless. Somewhere, deep down, Tabitha was waiting for Selina's chest to start to rise again, or for her pulse to beat again. Barbara turned to the two after the fanatics were drowning in the bodies of their fallen and defeated teammates. But she knew that she shouldn't call them teammates, they weren't a team, they were psychos who ruined her team, who hurt the young girl she'd taken under her wing all that time ago. 

“No...no.” Barbara's voice was laced with fear and anger, heartbreak too. “Not Selina, not now, no. Not this way...” The blonde fell to her knees as Tabitha continued to rock back and forth. In their shock, Barbara's phone rang, and rang, and rang, and rang. After the phone stopped, it started to ring again shortly after. In her anger, she took the cell and chucked it into the wall. 

Barbara bowed her head as Tabitha stared behind her, eyes landing on the boy and the butler at the end of the alleyway. Bruce began to sprint to the women and the butler followed, all before Gordon's car pulled to a stop at the end of the alley. Gordon and Alfred had to take fire to the remaining fanatics while Bruce sprinted through.

“Selina!” Bruce called out as he neared the group, Tabitha didn't stop rocking. “No, no!” Bruce got to where they sat and immediately tried to pull Selina's body from Tabitha's grasp. After some hesitation, Tabitha let go and allowed Bruce to cradle Selina close to his chest. He cried for a short amount of time before his tears turned into a boiling rage. He took his time to gently place Selina's body against the dumpster against the alley wall before he stood.

“Stand up.” He directed to Tabitha. The woman's eyes were locked on Selina's body. “I said, stand up!” Bruce yelled, and Tabitha obeyed, eyes not leaving Selina. 

“How could you!?” He shrieked angrily before he used fists to pound on her chest. “She trusted you!” Bruce took a step back before he threw a punch right at Tabitha's chest. “She trusted both of you!” He landed another punch with ease, she wasn't fighting back. “And you let her die!” Bruce threw his fist up and made contact with his jaw. 

“She told me to tell you she was sorry.” Tabitha finally spoke up, earning a right hook to her face.

“You're the one who should be sorry!” Bruce screamed before he backhanded her. He continued his assault, and it was a shot to the face that finally made Tabitha stumble. When Bruce realized that she was out of it, he threw another right. The second shot sent her to the ground, and she turned her head to spit out blood. She expected him to start kicking and stomping, not for him to yell out “GET BACK UP!” 

No one expected what came next.

Tabitha listened. She pushed herself up and as soon she had turned back to face Bruce, he continued his assault. 

After the woman took another serious round of hits, it was Barbara that spoke up. “Bruce stop!” The boy turned around with a feral look in his eyes. “The blame is on both of us, and Jeremiah, it's not all on Tabitha.” The blonde argued. 

“You should have protected her!” He screamed. 

“Don't you think we know that?” Barbara stood from where she had been kneeling on the pavement. She closed the distance with anger. “We cared about her too! You don't get a monopoly on grief!” Barbara accused viciously. “Now if you really give a shit, call the morgue, or whoever deals with the dead in this town nowadays. We'll stay with her until help comes, take a walk.” Barbara ordered, and Bruce shoved past her with an anguished scream. Alfred followed the young billionaire to ensure he didn't do something stupid, all the while Gordon paced the Alley. 

Tabitha moved slowly, heavily. As if she was trudging through water or mud. 

“All she wanted was a family, people to rely on. And we failed in that department when she needed us the most.” Tabitha fell to her knees and turned to support herself next to Selina. “We'll convert... or take it up... however it works, we'll start celebrating Hanukkah instead, how that sound, Kid?” Tabitha asked the body next to her, and the tears Barbara held back threatened to fall. Tabitha's denial was enough to push her to her breaking point.

“I'm sorry, Cat,” Tabitha's hand wandered to the side and found a place laced with Selina's. “You were the closest thing to a daughter I'd ever want, and you're the best one anyone could have asked for, Selina. I'm lucky I knew you... So lucky...” Tabitha shut her eyes to stop tears from falling, while Barbara finally snapped. Within an instant, the blonde was back on the pavement, on hand holding onto Selina's shoulder, the other holding onto her leg.

They stayed like that until others arrived to take Selina away, Barbara hunched over her and sobbing, Tabitha holding her hand from where she sat next to her.

When Selina woke up, she was confused, she didn't remember anything or anyone, and the dark room was filled with cats.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm horrible, I'm aware, hope you hated it, MERRY CHRISTMAS. Oh, I should probably say Happy Hanukkah instead, huh?


End file.
